NHS WESTERN ISLES

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR LOCUM CONSULTANT ANAESTHETIST

GENERAL INFORMATION

The WesternIslesHospital

The Western Isles Hospital is a Rural General Hospital in Stornoway. It is a modern, well resourced and well equipped hospital. It opened in 1992 and has 96 beds.

This post provides the unique and exciting opportunity of contributing to the development and delivery of a remote and rural health care system which is safe, modern and sustainable.

There are four acute wards, two medical, one surgical and a maternity unit. In addition there are medical beds in Erisort Ward which incorporates 6 stroke beds, 3 intermediate care beds and 8 general and orthopaedic rehabilitation beds. There is a Day Surgery Unit, well equipped twin theatre suite, state of the art endoscopy suite and a renal unit. . There is an acute adult psychiatric unit and a psychogeriatric unit.

The population of the Western Isles is approximately 26,500 of which 22,000 are resident in the island of Lewis and Harris. Because of its geographical position, the WesternIslesHospital accepts patients with all types of emergencies. Those requiring further specialty treatment in a mainland hospital (usually Glasgow or Inverness) are transferred by air ambulance or helicopter depending on the clinical condition. The Emergency Medical Retrieval Service (based at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley) is available to transfer acutely ill patients. This is necessary for patients needing ventilatory support who require transport to a mainland intensive care unit.

Department of Anaesthesia Activities

A comprehensive pre-, intra- and post- operative Consultant delivered Anaesthetic service is provided for adult and paediatric patients in a wide variety of elective and emergency surgical specialties. There are locally based ‘surgical’ Consultants in General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology and Obstetrics; visiting surgeons from Raigmore provide local sessions in Urology, Oral Surgery, Ophthalmology and Ear, Nose and Throat Surgery. There are also Anaesthetic requirements for Cardioversions and diagnostic procedures. Yearly Operating Theatre activity is around 1200 cases with anaesthetic input.

There are currently 4 Consultant Anaesthetists based at the Western Isles Hospital. The post advertised is a replacement post after a retirement of one of permanent consultants. There are no trainee doctors attached to the Anaesthetic department on a permanent basis. Anaesthetic activity is fully supported by fully qualified ODPs.

The workloadis divided equally among those available according to a monthly rota. The possibility exists, however, for special interests to be accommodated with appropriate adjustment of schedules. Wherever possible an anaesthetist is not scheduled for a routine list after a night on call.

A four bedded High Dependency Unit is jointly managed with the Physicians and Surgeons. Comprehensive invasive and non-invasive monitoring and ventilatory equipment enables a high standard of short term critical care to be delivered when required, with longer term care being accomplished by evacuation to mainland units..

Advice and assistance is furnished to other clinicians, particularly in the fields of vascular cannulation, cardio-respiratory care and neo-natal resuscitation.

Audit, Postgraduate and other CPD activities are actively encouraged.

Members of the Anaesthetic staff will very occasionally have the opportunity to escort critically ill patients by helicopter or fixed wing aircraft to mainland units, though most such transfers are entrusted to retrieval services.

Based at the Western Isles Hospital, the post holder could be required to work at other locations in the Western Isles, in particular at the Ospadal Uibhist agus Bharraigh (OUaB/Uist and Barra Hospital), Benbecula.

The post holder will be responsible for professional supervision and day to day management of any non-consultant medical staff working within the specialty, in particular the Hospital Practitioners at OUaB.

There is a regular throughput of Medical Students and FY1 and 2 (or equivalent) trainees. Occasionally we accommodate Clinical Attachees in Anaesthesia.The post holder will also participate in the occasional teaching and supervision of Nurses, Radiographers and Ambulance or Coastguard Helicopter Paramedics in cannulation and airway skills.

CPD:- The Anaesthetic Department participates fully in the local programme of post-graduate teaching and in courses run by the Resuscitation Training Officer. The Health Board has a good record of generosity in the provision of Study Leave to mainland events which are acknowledged to be essential to the maintenance of skills and current awareness in our island environment. Participation in committees etc. at national level is encouraged. An annual secondment to a major centre (e.g. Glasgow Royal Hospital for Sick Children) could be incorporated in the Job Plan.

Research:- A research interest under the aegis of the Health Board Ethical Committee will be actively encouraged.

Out of Hours Commitment

The rota is essentially 1:3,3 but this can vary between 1:2 to 1:4. For exceptional periods of Consultant leave, e.g. protracted sick leave, locum cover is provided.

Undergraduate/Postgraduate Training

The General Surgical Consultants have educational, training and supervisory responsibilities for one Foundation Year 1 House Officer, one Core Surgical trainee, one GPST trainee (Mixed Surgical Specialities) – 5 weeks every 4 months, phase IV Aberdeen University undergraduate students for 20 weeks/year, one Phase V Edinburgh University undergraduate student, other undergraduates as and when clinical attachees as required

Medical students from the Universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh, other UK and EU Universities and commonwealth countries are regularly attached to the department throughout the year. The post holder will be expected to contribute in teaching medical students and in training junior staff.

The WesternIslesHospital has an active and enthusiastic undergraduate and postgraduate training programme.

There is a monthly Mortality and Morbidity meeting followed by Educational session.

The post holder will have a computer in his/her office with access to appropriate clinical and other systems.

Research

The Board encourages and where possible gives assistance to the pursuit of research by consultant staff.

Rehabilitation Services

There is a modern physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy department. These departments also provide services in the community.

Locally based consultant services

  • General Medicine
  • General Surgery,
  • Orthopaedics
  • Anaesthesia
  • Paediatrics
  • Obstetrics and gynaecology
  • Psychiatry
  • Radiology
  • Dental Services

Visiting consultant services

  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Rheumatology/rehabilitation
  • Dermatology
  • Oncology
  • Neurology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Renal Medicine
  • Otolaryngology
  • Urology
  • Child & Adolescent Mental Health

Diagnostic services

The Laboratory in the WesternIslesHospital provides haematology, blood transfusion, biochemistry and microbiology services. RaigmoreHospital, Inverness provides consultant haematological and histopathological services.

The Radiology Department is modern with fully digitized imaging, ultrasound, Doppler scanning and a 64-slice CT scanner. The department is fully integrated with PACS.

Tertiary referrals

The main referral centres are in Inverness and Glasgow, but hospitals in Edinburgh and other hospitals in Scotland are used when necessary in accordance with established referral management system.

Outpatient Facilities

There are excellent outpatient facilities within the hospital. Visiting consultants from Inverness and Glasgow (see above) support various subspecialties.

Main Conditions of Services

1The post is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Services for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff (Scotland), as amended from time to time.

2Subject to agreement of a satisfactory Job Plan the Contract will be for 10 programmed activities per week. The Health Board may offer up to 2 extra programmed activities in line with the agreed Job Plan and the salary will attract an 8% availability allowance. A Distant Islands Allowance also applies to all NHS Western Isles employees. The current Job Plan is based on a 8: 2 DCC : SPA split.

3The Job Plan will be annually revised and agreed. The Job Plan will essentially be driven by the evolving and changing needs of the patients and services.

4For pre-employment health assessment purposes, as part of the Board’s Occupational Health Service, the successful applicant will be required to complete a health questionnaire. This will be treated in strict confidence.

5Active participation in SPSP with effective implementation of local or nationally agreed systems of care/care bundles

6Compliance with all approved Board policies and procedures

7Residence – the successful applicant will be required to reside within 10 road miles of the Western Isles Hospital.

8Theatre sessions may be required across the 7 days of the week in order to meet the TTG and the needs of patients

Study and Training

Study leave entitlement is a maximum of 30 days including off duty days within the leave period, in any period of three years, in relation to leave with pay and expenses in the UK. Priority will be given to CME.

Rehabilitation of Offenders

Because of the nature of this work, the post is exempt from the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exemptions) Order 1975. You are therefore not entitled to withhold information about convictions, which for other purposes are “spent” under the provisions of the Act, and any failure to disclose such convictions could result in disciplinary action by the Board. Any information given will be kept in strict confidence, and used only in relation to the position to which the order applies.

Visiting Arrangements

Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the hospital and to meet the Consultants. Informal enquiries to: Dr Angus McKellar (01851 708050) or email:

Dr Jacek Rychter, Consultant Anaesthetist, Hospital Clinical Lead (01851 704704) or email:

Revised

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Consultant Anaesthetist
FACTOR / ESSENTIAL / DESIRABLE
Educational & Professional Qualifications / FRCA or equivalent.
On specialist Register or within 6 months of CCST / Possession of higher degree
Membership/fellowship of professional organisations
Work & other Experience / Capable of independent practice in all aspects of Anaesthesia and Critical Care
Previous experience at Specialist Registrar or Consultant level
Teaching
Audit
Computer literacy / Chronic Pain Treatment Experience
Expertise in Peripheral Nerve Blocks
FAST scanning expertise
Management experience
Ability to take on responsibility for educational and clinical supervision of JDiT
Personal Qualities & Abilities / Able to show initiative in working both independently and as a member of a team.
Leadership and decision making skills
Self motivating in a potentially stressful
Environment
Good Communication and Interpersonal skills / Team building and organisational skills
INTERESTS, e.g. intellectual, physical, social, artistic / Hobbies and Interests appropriate for Island living
OTHER, e.g. health, appearance, manner, car driver, special demands of post, e.g. to work unsocial hours/on-call/areas covered / Good health record, smart appearance, car driver, able to work unsocial hours and on-call
Strong commitment for personal development
Comfortable travelling in small, inter-island aircraft and helicopters.

In the event that the otherwise appoint able candidate does have one of the essential criteria and this skill may be acquired through a period of further training, consideration may be given to offering a “proleptic appointment”

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